Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman bin Abdulmohsen Al-Fadhli inaugurated the 43rd edition of the Saudi Agriculture 2026 exhibition at the Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, where it runs from October 19 to 22 under the slogan "An Integrated Agricultural System for a Sustainable Future," with the participation of government entities, private-sector companies, investors and decision-makers from inside and outside the Kingdom.
Prince Saud bin Turki Al Faisal bin Abdulaziz, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Riyadh Exhibitions Company, said the exhibition's continuation for more than four decades reflects its international standing as a platform that brings together local and international expertise and strengthens partnerships and innovation in agriculture and food, noting that the current edition focuses on solutions and technologies that raise productivity and resource-use efficiency and support efforts to address environmental and climate challenges.
Ministry spokesman Saleh bin Dukheil explained that the agricultural sector raised its contribution to gross domestic product to 3% in 2025, with growth of 5% compared with 2024, while self-sufficiency rates exceeded 100% in dates, milk and eggs and reached 80% in poultry. Fish farming grew by 20% to reach production of about 200,000 tons, while financing provided by the Agricultural Development Fund exceeded SAR 6.5 billion during the same year.
Opening day saw the signing of agreements and memoranda of understanding between government and semi-government entities, private companies and international agricultural companies, supporting the food and agriculture sector and driving the adoption of modern production technologies. Assistant Undersecretary for Livestock and Fisheries Dr. Ali bin Mohammed Al-Sheikhi said the participation of 13 countries and the diversity of exhibitors' products are two indicators of the exhibition's regional weight, adding: "The momentum in the sector is very high across all agricultural, livestock, fisheries and feed sectors."
The exhibition's pavilions were distributed across the agri-food, organic, poultry, livestock, milling, feed, animal health, aquaculture, food processing and packaging, innovation and entrepreneurship, and veterinary sectors. Held alongside it is the Saudi International Conference on the Future of Agriculture, with experts from inside and outside the Kingdom discussing agricultural technologies, food security, agriculture and climate issues, project financing, biotechnology and water management.